'Are they? Sometimes I'm convinced… other times,' he shook his head.
Then rose. 'We're pulling in. I need to make arrangements.'
'What kind of arrangements?'
'Horses.'
'Paran.'
'Yes?'
'Are you now ascended?'
His eyes widened. 'I don't know. Nothing feels different. I admit I'm not even sure what ascendancy means.'
'Means you're harder to kill.'
'Why?'
'You have stumbled onto power, of a personal nature, and with it, well, power draws power. Always. Not the mundane kind, but something other, a force in nature, a confluence of energies. You begin to see things differently, to think differently. And others take notice of you – that's usually bad, by the way.' She sighed, studying him, and said, 'Perhaps I don't need to warn you, but I will. Be careful, Paran; of all the lands in this world, there are two more dangerous than all others-'
'Your knowledge, or Cotillion's?'
'Cotillion's for one, mine for the other. Anyway, you're about to set foot on one of those two. Seven Cities, Paran, is not a healthy place to be, especially not for an ascendant.'
'I know. I can feel that… what's out there, what I have to deal with.'
'Get someone else to do your fighting for you, if possible.'
His gaze narrowed on her. 'Now that's a clear lack of faith.'
'I killed you once-'
'And you were possessed by a god, by the Patron of Assassins himself, Apsalar.'
'Who played by the rules. There are things here that do not.'
'I'll give that some consideration, Apsalar. Thank you.'
'And remember, bargain from strength or don't bargain at all.'
He gave her a strange smile, then headed topside.
A skittering sound from one corner, and Telorast and Curdle scampered into view, bony feet clattering on the wooden floor.
'He is dangerous, Not-Apsalar! Stay away, oh, you've spent too long with him!'
'Don't worry about me, Telorast.'
'Worry? Oh, we have worries, all right, don't we, Curdle?'
'Endless worries, Telorast. What am I saying? We're not worried.'
Apsalar said, 'The Master of the Deck knows all about you two, no doubt compounding those worries.'
'But he told you nothing!'
'Are you so certain of that?'
'Of course!' The bird-like skeleton bobbed and weaved in front of its companion. 'Think on it, Curdle! If she knew she'd step on us! Wouldn' t she?'
'Unless she has a more devious betrayal in mind, Telorast! Have you thought of that? No, you haven't, have you? I have to do all the thinking.'
'You never think! You never have!'
Apsalar rose. 'They've dropped the gangplank. Time to leave.'
'Hide us under your cloak. You have to. There are dogs out there, in the streets!'
She sheathed the knife. 'All right, but no squirming.'
A squalid port, four of the six piers battered into treacherous hulks by Nok's fleet a month earlier, Kansu was in no way memorable, and Apsalar was relieved as they rode past the last sprawl of shanties on the inland road and saw before them a scattering of modest stone buildings, marking the herders, the pens and the demon-eyed goats gathered beneath guldindha trees. And beyond that, tharok orchards with their silvery, thread-like bark prized for rope-making, the uneven rows looking ghostly with their boles shimmering in the wind.
There had been something odd in the city behind them, the crowds smaller than was normal, the voices more muted. A number of merchant shops had been shut, and this during peak market time. The modest garrison of Malazan soldiers was present only at the gates and down at the docks, where at least four trader ships had been denied berths.
And no-one seemed inclined to offer explanations to outsiders.
Paran had spoken quietly with the horse trader and Apsalar had watched as more coin than was necessary changed hands, but the ex-captain had said nothing during their ride out.
Reaching a crossroads, they drew rein.
'Paran,' Apsalar said, 'did you note anything strange about Kansu?'
He grimaced. 'I don't think we need worry,' he said. 'You've been possessed by a god, after all, and as for me, well, as I said, there's no real cause for worry.'
'What are you talking about?'
'Plague. Hardly surprising, given all the unburied corpses following this rebellion. It began a week or so ago, somewhere east of Ehrlitan.
Any ships that made port or hail from there are being turned away.'
Apsalar said nothing for a time. Then she nodded. 'Poliel.'
'Aye.'
'And not enough healers left to intercede.'
'The horse trader said officials went to the Temple of D'rek, in Kansu. The foremost healers are found there, of course. They found everyone within slaughtered.'
She glanced over at him.
'I take the south track,' Paran said, fighting with his edgy gelding.
Yes, there is nothing more to be said, is there. The gods are indeed at war. 'The west for us,' Apsalar replied, already uncomfortable with the Seven Cities style of saddle. Neither she nor Cotillion had ever had much success with horses, but at least the mare beneath her seemed a docile beast. She opened her cloak and dragged out Telorast, then Curdle, tossing them both onto the ground, where they raced ahead, long tails flicking.
'All too short,' Paran said, meeting her eyes.
She nodded. 'But just as well, I think.'
Her comment was not well received. 'I am sorry to hear you say that.'
'I do not mean to offend, Ganoes Paran. It's just that, well, I was rediscovering… things.'
'Like comradeship?'
'Yes.'
'And that is something you feel you cannot afford.'
'Invites carelessness,' she said.
'Ah, well. For what it is worth, Apsalar, I believe we will see each other again.'
She allowed that sentiment, and nodded. 'I will look forward to that.'
'Good, then there's hope for you yet.'
She watched him ride away, his two packhorses trailing. Changes came to a man in ways few could imagine. He seemed to have let go of so much… she was envious of that. And already, she realized with a faint stab of regret, already she missed him. Too close, too dangerous by far. Just as well.
As for plague, well, he was probably right. Neither he nor Apsalar had much to fear. Too bad for everyone else, though.
The broken remnants of the road made for an agonized traverse up the limestone hillside, rocks tumbling and
